Stigmella laqueorum

Stigmella laqueorum is a species of moth in the family Nepticulidae. It is endemic to New Zealand. This species is classified as "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" by the Department of Conservation.

Stigmella laqueorum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Family:	Nepticulidae
Genus:	Stigmella
Species:	S. laqueorum
Binomial name
Stigmella laqueorum (Dugdale, 1971)[1]
Synonyms[1]
Nepticula laquaeorum Dugdale, 1971 Stigmella laquaeorum (Dugdale, 1971)

Taxonomy

This species was originally described by John S. Dugdale under the name Nepticula laquaeorum.[2] In 1988 Dugdale noted that the epithet laquaeorum was inadmissible and amended it to the correct spelling of laqueorum.[1]^:126 He also placed the species within the genus Stigmella.[1]^:53 The taxonomy of this species was also studied by Hans Donner and Christopher Wilkinson in 1989.[3] The holotype specimen is held at the New Zealand Arthropod Collection.[1]

Description

The larvae of this species are up to 6 mm long and pale green.[3]

The adult moths have a forewing length of between 3–4 mm.[3] This species is similar in appearance to its close relative Stigmella fulva.[2] However it can be distinguished from that species as S. laqueorum has basally black costa and has no linear black scale marks on the discal cell area.[2] S. laqueorum is also smaller and has more obvious wing markings than S. fulva.[3]

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.[4] It can only be found on Snares Island.[2]

Biology and behaviour

The egg is laid on the leaf underside, amongst the thick tomentum.[3] Larvae are present in all months.[3] The cocoon is made of pale brown or tan silk and is attached to fallen large debris or trunk bases.[3] Adults have been recorded on the wing from late November to February.[3] They are diurnal, flying only in the morning.[3]

Host species and habitat

The larvae feed on Olearia lyallii.[3] They mine the leaves of their host plant.[3] The mine is narrow, serpentine, rather scribble-like and close to the upper epidermal layer, widening terminally.[3] There may be up to 20 mines per leaf.[3]

Conservation Status

This species has been classified as having the "At Risk, Naturally Uncommon" conservation status under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.[5]

References

1. Dugdale, J. S. (1988). "Lepidoptera - annotated catalogue, and keys to family-group taxa" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 14: 1–262.
2. Dugdale, J. S. (1971). "Entomology of the Aucklands and other islands south of New Zealand: Lepidoptera, excluding non-crambine Pyralidae". Pacific Insects Monograph. 27: 55–172.
3. Donner, Hans; Wilkinson, Christopher (1989). "Nepticulidae (Insecta: Lepidoptera)" (PDF). Fauna of New Zealand. 16: 1–89.
4. Gordon, Dennis P., ed. (2010). New Zealand inventory of biodiversity. Volume two. Kingdom animalia : chaetognatha, ecdysozoa, ichnofossils. Vol. 2. Christchurch, N.Z.: Canterbury University Press. p. 461. ISBN 9781877257933. OCLC 973607714.
5. Hoare, R.J.B.; Dugdale, J.S.; Edwards, E.D.; Gibbs, G.W.; Patrick, B.H.; Hitchmough, R.A.; Rolfe, J.R. (2017). "Conservation status of New Zealand butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), 2015" (PDF). New Zealand Threat Classification Series. 20: 8.